JP2001084211A - Network transmission of page by markup language, which is controlled by tag in subsequent page, having function in page displayed at present and linkable to received display station - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily use a computer-controlled interactive display interface by installing a control tag for controlling a display function in a page which is displayed at present in a transmission page selected, so that it follows the page which is displayed at present and executing a display function in response to the control tag. SOLUTION: The producer or the user of a Web page is enabled to setup an HTML tag which can selectively be activated by a selective control tag in a subsequent Web page in a Web page, which is displayed at present in order to operate the present Web page (61). The producer or the user of the original page is enabled to determine which subsequent Web page can activate the tag in an original page (62). Then, the user of the subsequent Web page can select which tag in the page, that is displayed at present, is to be activated for executing shift (63).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to computer-managed communication networks, such as the World Wide Web (Web), and more particularly to receiving a series of transmitted pages or pages. The present invention relates to facilitating the use of a computer-controlled interactive display interface that is user-friendly for providing a transition between web pages and provides the web page user and creator with some control over the progress between pages.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The following patent application addresses the subject matter which is the same as, and filed by, the inventor and assignee of the present invention and which is related to the subject matter of the present invention. "Network Transmission of Pa
ges inLinkable Markup Language to Receiving Displa
y Stations with Currently Displayed Pages Controll
ed by Tags in Succeeding Pages to Produce Aestheti
cally Pleasing Transitions Between Pages ”(reference number AT9-99-224)

[0003] The 1990s are characterized by technological innovation driven by the convergence of the data processing and consumer electronics industries. As a result, technologies that have been known and available for years but have been less turbulent have been activated.
One of the key technologies is the Internet or W
The distribution of documents, media, and programs for eb. The convergence of data processing with the electronic entertainment and consumer industries has dramatically accelerated the demand for widespread telecommunications distribution channels and has been quietly present for more than one generation as a loose data distribution facility for universities and governments. The Internet has reached a "critical mass" and has entered a phenomenal expansion phase. With this expansion, businesses and consumers have direct access to all documents, media, and computer programs.

[0004] Furthermore, markup languages, which were description languages for the Internet or the Web several years ago, especially the hypertext markup language (HTML), were initially textual and then evolved into media, or "hypermedia". Provided direct links between the receiving page and other pages on the Web, along with various related data sources. This has led to an even greater surge in Internet or Web usage.

It is notable that features such as the Web, which many initially regarded as almost obsolete, could handle the tremendous amount of traffic needed to meet demand. In the past few years, most of the technical resources associated with the Web have been fully utilized to meet the demand for significantly increased traffic.
As a result, to make the user interface of the Web more user-friendly, ie, to make a large number of unfamiliar computer users looking at the Web more comfortable in a more aesthetically pleasing environment. Little effort has been put into improving the Web user interface.

At last, however, at this point in the evolution of the Web, computer hardware and software resources become available beyond what is needed to meet the demands of traffic flows,
As a result, it has become possible to look at techniques for improving the aesthetic interface between people and the Web, and techniques for making the user more comfortable. The present invention is directed to such an objective. The transition or progression between the current page and the subsequent page is at best abrupt, and frustrating at worst, because the user must wait while the current page disappears and subsequent pages appear fragmented in pieces. Should be obvious to anyone who has browsed the Web.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a progression or transition between a current web page and a subsequent web page that is comfortable for the user and can be easily changed by both the creator and the user of the web page. I do. The present invention relates to We
b or the Internet (in this application, these terms are used synonymously) such as a computer-managed communication network.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Typically, a user's access to a network is provided via a plurality of interactive receiving and display stations controlled by a data processor.
The displayed received page is transmitted to the receiving display station from a location remote from the receiving display station in a linkable markup language. The receiving page contains text, images, and markup language control tags. The present invention, in its broadest aspect, includes a sending page selected to follow the currently displayed page,
Such control tags for controlling display functions in the currently displayed page are used in combination with means for performing the display functions in response to these control tags. In this embodiment, control tags in the current page can be selectively activated in response to control tags in subsequent pages. According to an optional aspect of the present invention, the current page further includes data for selectively determining whether the current page is controllable by said subsequent page. This data is a URL (Uniform Resource Linkag) of only the succeeding page that the current page can control.
e) can be a list. Conversely, a subsequent page may be set up to include this data to selectively determine whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. Aspects of the above-described effective and desirable progression include at least one activatable control tag in the current page that controls a display function for a selected functional progression from the current page to the subsequent page. Can be implemented. According to an important aspect of the invention, the desired progress comprises manipulating a part of the currently displayed page and including the operated part in the displayed subsequent page. Also, the progression from the current web page to the subsequent web page may include a transition between pages that are aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly as addressed in more detail in the above-referenced co-pending co-pending patent application. it can.

It should be emphasized that the present invention is based on the concept that the next page, the subsequent page, controls the transition from the currently displayed page to this subsequent page. For example, a control function in a subsequent page may cause all previously displayed pages, ie, the currently displayed page, to close or exit, all in a specified manner, regardless of the HTML content of such pages. Can be specified.

[0010]

Before going into the details of a particular embodiment, it will be helpful to understand from a more general perspective the various elements and methods that may be relevant to the present invention. The main aspect of the present invention is that the We transmitted over a network
It is intended for documents such as page b, so it would be useful to understand the network and its operating principles. The network to which the present invention can be applied will not be described in detail. The applicability of the present invention to a global network such as the Internet has already been mentioned. For more information on Internet nodes, objects, and links, see GH Cady et al., Mastering the Internet, published by Sybex, Inc. of Alamida, Calif., 1996.

[0011] All data communication systems that interconnect or link computer controlled systems and various sites define a communication network. The network can be as simple as two linked computers, and can be a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WA).
Any combination of N) may be used. Of course, the Internet or Web is a worldwide network of heterogeneous computer technologies and operating systems. Objects higher in the hierarchy are linked to objects lower in the hierarchy via various network server computers. W
These network servers are key for network distribution, such as distribution of web pages and related documents. The HTML language is described in detail in the following documents. Peter van der Linden's "Just Java", 2nd edition (Sun Microsystems, 1997), Mich
ele Petrovsky, Osbourne, `` Dynamic HTML in Act
ion "(McGraw-Hill, Berkeley, CA, 1
998, p. 87-p. 103, which deals extensively with the use of HTML tags) and Cady et al., Mastering the Internet, published by Sybex, Alamida, Calif., 1996, particularly on HTML in the formation of Web pages, pages 637-pp. 64
2). Further, some aspects of the invention will include a web browser. Regarding browsers, see the above-cited Cady et al., P. 291-p. 313 is generally and comprehensively described.

Referring to FIG. 1, a basic computer controlled network receiving terminal used in practicing the present invention for controlling functions in a currently displayed page by tags in subsequent pages. A typical data processing terminal that can function as a is shown. PC microprocessor CPU, or for example, International Business Machines Corporation (IB)
M) commercially available RISC System / 6000 ^(TM) series (R
ISC System / 6000 is a central processing unit (CPU) 1 such as a workstation CPU such as International Business Machines Corporation.
0 are provided and interconnected by the system bus 12 to various other components. An operating system 41 runs on the CPU 10 and controls it, and is used to adjust the functions of the various components in FIG. The operating system 41 is an AIX6000 ^(TM) operating system or an OS / 2 ^(TM) operating system (AIX60 ⁾ commercially available from IBM.
00 and OS / 2 are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation), Microsoft Windows 98 ^(TM) and Windows NT ^(TM) , and UN
IX® operating system and A
It can be one of the commercially available operating systems, such as the IX operating system. Application program 4 controlled by the system
0s are stored in and retrieved from main memory RAM 14. These programs include the programs of the present invention for controlling functions in the current page by tags in subsequent pages. These programs include Netscape 3.0 ^(TM) and Microsoft Internet
It can be used in combination with, or as part of, any conventional Web browser program, such as Explorer ^(TM) . A read only memory (ROM) 16 is connected to the CPU 10 via the bus 12 and includes a basic input / output system (BIOS) for controlling basic computer functions. RAM 14, input / output adapter 18, and communication adapter 34 are also interconnected with system bus 12. The input / output adapter 18 may be a small computer system interface (SCSI) adapter that communicates with the disk storage device 20. The communication adapter 34 has a data processing system of LAN or WA.
It interconnects an external network and a bus 12 which allows it to communicate with other similar systems via N. This external network includes, of course, the Web or the Internet. The two terms are generally interchangeable and today when describing a distribution network,
It has been used that way. The input / output device is also connected to the system bus 12 via the user interface adapter 22 and the display adapter 36. Keyboard 24 and mouse 26 are both interconnected with bus 12 via user interface adapter 22. Users can interact with the browser and related programs according to the present invention,
Through such an input device. The display adapter 36 includes a frame buffer 39 that is a storage device that holds a display of each pixel on a display screen 38. The image can be stored in frame buffer 39 for display on monitor 38 via various components such as a DA converter (not shown). The user can input information to the system via the keyboard 24 or the mouse 26 and receive output information from the system via the display 38 by using the input / output device described above.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an Internet or Web portion that can be used by a display terminal 57 controlled by a computer 56 to access and display a Web page or document or a linked Web page or document according to the present invention. Are connected as shown. Computer 56 and display terminal 5
7 is the computer system shown in FIG. 1, and connection 58 (FIG. 2) is the network connection shown in FIG. For all the typical connections from a local display workstation to the Internet via a network server that can be used to implement a system employing the present invention, see "Mastering the Internet", p. 136-p. 147
Can be referred to. The system embodiment of FIG.
One of these connections, known as "Host Dial Connection". Such host dialing has been used for over thirty years via a network access server 53 linked (51) to the Internet 50. The server 53 is maintained by the service provider for the display terminal 57 of the client. The host server 53 is connected to the modem 54, the telephone line 55, and the modem 52 by the client terminal 57.
Via a normal dial-up telephone linkage 58. HTM for displaying web pages
The L file is transmitted from the Internet 50 to the linkage 51.
Is downloaded to the display terminal 57 via the control server 53 and the computer 56 via the telephone line linkage from the server 53 which may have accessed the telephone line linkage via the.

The present invention is preferably implemented on a Web browser in combination with standard browser functions. Standard browser processes are used to access and receive Web pages from the Web in a conventional manner. It applies to such received documents at the receiving display station.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the process performed by the present invention will be described in conjunction with the flow charts in those figures. FIG. 3 shows an HTML tag for controlling a function in a currently displayed Web page, in which the present invention intends to control and is being superseded by a subsequent page. 4 is a flowchart showing the progress of the process according to the present invention for providing. The application program of the present invention, in its broadest aspect, allows the creator and / or user of a web page to use the current web page.
Set up in step 61 of FIG. 3 so that an HTML tag that can be selectively activated by a selective control tag in a subsequent web page to manipulate the page can be set up in the currently displayed web page. Is done. In this example, these operations are considered with respect to the progression effect in transitioning from the current page to a subsequent page. Such a progressive effect refers to a transition between such pages that is manipulated such that portions of the current page are included in subsequent pages, as will be described later in this application. Such progressive effects also include transitions between aesthetically pleasing pages as detailed in the above-referenced co-pending co-pending applications. Also at step 62, the program is set up so that the creator and / or user of the current page can determine which subsequent Web pages can activate the tags in the current page. In other words, the previous or current web page can tabulate or list the web page identified by the URL that can be accessed to control the tags in the current page. Similarly, in step 64, the subsequent W
To the user and / or creator of the eb page,
Control tags in subsequent web pages can provide an option to select which of the current and thus previous web page tags to activate.
Again, this can be accomplished using the list in the page following the qualifying current Web page, identified through its URL. If both the current web page and the subsequent web page satisfy the requirements of such interaction with each other, then in step 63, the user of the subsequent web page determines which tag in the currently displayed page to perform the transition. You can choose to activate. When performing this function, the control tag for this purpose in the subsequent Web page is the HTML of the subsequent page.
Set up before formatting. These tags refer to tags in the current page that are activated. Then, in step 65, the appropriate attributes are applied that work with the browser application to create the page format to perform the appropriate operation.

In the example setup of the application program of FIG. 3, if the sequence of pages is in the navigation system and the current page is displaying a map, the subsequent page is displayed to display a somewhat shifted map. Can be loaded. In this regard, in practicing the present invention, it is understood that when a subsequent page is accessed, there is a progression from the current page to the subsequent page, rather than immediately replacing the current page. I want to be. Thus, the map from the current page is still valid and included in the subsequent page, but at a given time in milliseconds (approximately 1 inch) transitions (in pixels or appropriate units) and a new portion from the subsequent page Is moving or progressing. Thus, the HTML for the subsequent page can specify that the image tag for the map can move that amount at that time, but not be erased when the subsequent page is opened. In this way, in the progression to the subsequent page, a new portion of the map is opened with a video-like effect, so that the map is smoothly scrolled up by the user, so that the subsequent page Web is seamlessly displayed. Looks like it gets loaded. This application describes a graphical user interface (GUI) for a conventional operating system.
This effect can be achieved by using the display adapter functions directly, without using the vast graphics library used by Eclipse. Similar techniques can be used to create video-like fade-ins and fade-outs.

Next, the execution of this process will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step 71, the current We
Page b is displayed. This page has traditionally been accessed by a suitable browser program. Next, in step 72, a determination is made whether the next, or subsequent, Web page has been accessed. No
In this case, the process of the present invention waits for the next page to arrive while the user works on the Web page according to his interests. If the determination from step 72 is Yes, that is, if the next page is accessed, the next page does not immediately replace the current page. First step 7
At 4, a determination is made whether there is a control tag in the next page to control the function in the previous, ie, current, page. As mentioned above, such control tags are typically located near the front of the received HTML format, displaying the next page. If there is no such tag, that is, if the determination in step 74 is No, in step 73, the next page is displayed mechanically without any progressive operation. If the determination is Yes, that is, if there is such a control tag, step 7
At 5, a determination is made whether the current page is eligible for its own tag to be activated by the control tag in the next page. In other words, a determination is made as to whether the current page is listed as a page on which the next page can operate via a transition between the selected pages, with its own URL. . No
, The process proceeds via branch “A” to step 7
Returning to 3, the next page is displayed again as before, without any special operation progress. But step 7
If the determination from 5 is Yes, that is, the current page satisfies the requirements, then in step 76 the next page determines whether its own tag is eligible for the control tag in the current page to be activated. A further determination is made. In other words, a determination is made whether the next page has its URL listed in the current page as a page on which the current page can be manipulated via transition between the selected pages. If no, the process returns to step 73 via branch "A" and the next page is displayed again as before, without any special operation proceeding. However, the determination from step 76 is Ye
If s, ie the next page satisfies the requirements, the tag in the current page that manipulates the progress is
7 are all located and activated, step 78
Executes the operation function. Thereafter, the process returns to step 73 via branch "A", and after a suitable transition, a new page will be displayed. At this point, as indicated by branch "B" in the process, the next page referred to here is effectively the current page at step 71 and the subsequent, or next, web page is again waiting at step 72. I do.

One preferred embodiment of the present invention during computer operation is shown in FIG. 1 as an application program 40 comprising programming steps or instructions residing in RAM 14. Until required by the computer system, the program instructions are transferred to another readable medium, such as disk drive 2.
0 or removable memory such as an optical disk used for computer input of a CD ROM, or a floppy disk used for computer input of a floppy disk drive. In addition, prior to use in the system of the present invention, the program instructions may be stored in another computer's memory and, when requested by the user of the present invention,
It can also be transmitted over a WAN such as an AN or the Internet. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the processes that control the present invention can be located on various forms of computer readable media.

In summary, the following matters are disclosed regarding the configuration of the present invention.

(1) User access via a plurality of interactive receive and display stations controlled by a data processor, and receive transmitted to said station from a location remote from said receive and display station in a linkable markup language. A computer managed communication network having a system for displaying pages, and
Wherein the receiving page is in a transmission page selected to follow a currently displayed page in a communication network including text, images, and markup language control tags, and wherein in the currently displayed page An improved communication network, comprising: a control tag for controlling a display function; and means for performing said display function in response to said control tag. (2) The means according to (1), wherein the means for performing the display function includes a control tag in the currently displayed page that can be selectively activated by the control tag in the subsequent page. Communication network. (3) The communication network according to (2), wherein the subsequent page further includes data for selectively determining whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. (4) The data for the determination is the U of the current page.
The communication network according to (3), including RL. (5) The communication network according to (2), wherein the current page further includes data for selectively determining whether the current page can be controlled by the subsequent page. (6) The data for the determination is the U of the subsequent page.
The communication network according to (5), including RL. (7) The communication network according to (4), wherein the markup language is a hypertext markup language, and the communication network is the World Wide Web. (8) User access via a plurality of interactive receiving and display stations controlled by a data processor and displaying received pages transmitted to the station from a location remote from the receiving and displaying station in a linkable markup language. And wherein the receiving page is selected to follow a currently displayed page in the communication network including text, images, and markup language control tags. Providing a control tag for controlling a display function in the currently displayed page during the transmitted page, and performing the display function in response to the control tag. How to control. (9) the step of performing the display function includes providing, in the currently displayed page, a control tag that can be selectively activated by the control tag in the subsequent page. The method according to 8). (10) The method of (9) above, further comprising providing data in the subsequent page to selectively determine whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. (11) The method according to (10), wherein the data for the determination includes a URL of the current page. (12) The method of (9) above, further comprising providing data in the current page to selectively determine whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. (13) The method according to (10), wherein the data for the determination includes a URL of the subsequent page. (14) The method according to (11) above, wherein the markup language is a hypertext markup language, and the communication network is the World Wide Web. (15) User access via a plurality of interactive receive and display stations controlled by a data processor, and display of received pages transmitted to said station from a location remote from said receive and display station in a linkable markup language. And wherein the received page includes text, images, and markup language control tags, the code being recorded on a computer readable medium for controlling display functions in a computer managed communication network. A control tag for controlling a display function in the currently displayed page, wherein the control tag is in a transmission page selected to follow the currently displayed page, and Means for performing said display function in response to a control tag. Computer program. (16) the means for performing the display function includes a control tag in the currently displayed page that can be selectively activated by the control tag in the subsequent page.
The computer program according to the above (15). (17) The computer program according to (16), wherein the subsequent page further includes data for selectively determining whether the current page can be controlled by the subsequent page. (18) The computer program according to (17), wherein the data for the determination includes a URL of the current page. (19) The computer program according to (16), wherein the current page further includes data for selectively determining whether the current page can be controlled by the subsequent page. (20) The computer program according to (19), wherein the data for determination includes a URL of the subsequent page. (21) The computer program according to (18), wherein the markup language is a hypertext markup language, and the communication network is the World Wide Web.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a network via a central processing unit and a communication adapter which can implement a user interactive display station capable of converting received data into a displayed web page and a subsequent page to be transferred to a display according to the invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a data processing system including a connection.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an Internet or Web portion in which the present invention can be implemented.

FIG. 3 to allow web page users and authors to provide control tags in subsequent pages to control display functions in the currently displayed page.
5 is a general flowchart of a program set up to carry out the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary execution of a program set up according to the flowchart of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 CPU 12 System bus 14 RAM 16 ROM 18 I / O adapter 20 Disk storage device 22 User interface adapter 24 Keyboard 26 Mouse 34 Communication adapter 36 Display adapter 38 Display screen 39 Frame buffer 40 Application program 41 Operating system 50 Internet 52 Modem 53 Network Access Server 54 Modem 56 Computer 57 Display Terminal

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Janet Dmitrovich Round Rock Stillmeadow 39786 Round Rock, Texas USA

Claims (21)

[Claims] A user access via a plurality of interactive receiving and display stations controlled by a data processor and a received page transmitted to said station from a location remote from said receiving and displaying station in a linkable markup language. A computer-controlled communication network having a system for displaying text, images, and a markup language control tag, such that the received page follows a currently displayed page in the communication network. An improved type comprising a control tag for controlling a display function in the currently displayed page in a selected transmission page, and means for performing the display function in response to the control tag. Communication network. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the means for performing the display function includes a control tag in the currently displayed page that can be selectively activated by the control tag in the subsequent page. Communication network as described. 3. The communication network of claim 2, wherein said subsequent page further includes data for selectively determining whether said current page is controllable by said subsequent page. 4. The communication network according to claim 3, wherein the data for determining includes a URL of the current page. 5. The communication network of claim 2, wherein the current page further includes data for selectively determining whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. 6. The communication network according to claim 5, wherein the data for determining includes a URL of the subsequent page. 7. The communication network according to claim 4, wherein said markup language is a hypertext markup language and said communication network is the World Wide Web. 8. A user access via a plurality of interactive receiving and display stations controlled by a data processor, and a received page transmitted to said station from a location remote from said receiving and displaying station in a linkable markup language. A computer-controlled communication network having a system for displaying text, images, and a markup language control tag, such that the received page follows a currently displayed page in the communication network. Providing a control tag for controlling a display function in the currently displayed page during the selected transmission page, and performing the display function in response to the control tag. How to control the display function. 9. The step of performing the display function comprises:
9. The method of claim 8, comprising providing a control tag selectively activatable by the control tag in the subsequent page in the currently displayed page. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing data in the subsequent page to selectively determine whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the data for determining includes a URL of the current page. 12. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing data in the current page for selectively determining whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. 13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the data for determining includes a URL of the subsequent page. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein said markup language is a hypertext markup language and said communication network is the World Wide Web. 15. A user access via a plurality of interactive receive and display stations controlled by a data processor and a receive page transmitted to said station from a location remote from said receive and display station in a linkable markup language. And a display for controlling display functions in a computer-managed communication network including text, images, and markup language control tags, wherein the received pages are recorded on a computer-readable medium. A computer program having a code, in a transmission page selected to follow a currently displayed page, a control tag for controlling a display function in the currently displayed page; and Means for performing the display function in response to the control tag; A computer program that includes. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein said means for performing said display function includes a control tag in said currently displayed page that is selectively activatable by said control tag in said subsequent page. The computer program as described. 17. The computer program of claim 16, wherein the subsequent page further comprises data for selectively determining whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. 18. The computer program according to claim 17, wherein the data for the determination includes a URL of the current page. 19. The computer program of claim 16, wherein the current page further comprises data for selectively determining whether the current page is controllable by the subsequent page. 20. The computer program according to claim 19, wherein the data for determination includes a URL of the subsequent page. 21. The computer program according to claim 18, wherein said markup language is a hypertext markup language and said communication network is the World Wide Web.